title: Understanding the guidelines for treating HIV disease.
abstract: In 1996 a panel of experts convened by the International AIDS Society-USA issued new guidelines for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, which have recently been updated. Quantitative plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration (viral load) and CD4+ lymphocyte levels are used to monitor disease progression, determine the need to initiate antiretroviral treatment, monitor effectiveness of treatment and evaluate the need to change medications. Multi-drug therapy with nucleoside analogs, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors can result in measurable improvement in clinical outcome in HIV-1 infected patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama School of Medicine, Huntsville, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chesebro
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Everett
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents